


Choice and Chance

by Mikauzoran



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up (19), Communication, Cuddling & Snuggling, Discussion of Soulmates, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Identity Reveal, Love Confessions, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Movie Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29885790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikauzoran/pseuds/Mikauzoran
Summary: A fluffy Marichat short in which they cuddle and discuss the existence of soulmates. Whether by choice or by chance, they’re happy to have one another.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 45
Kudos: 150





	Choice and Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! It's nice to meet you. ^.^ I'm Mikau. Welcome to old friends and new friends alike, and thank you very much for checking out this story.
> 
> This actually came about because I did an ask game on Tumblr where people sent in asks completing the sentence "I wish you would write a fic where...". This story is in response to "with sleepy cuddles & sciencey ramblings or smth". Thank you very much to the anon who sent in the ask!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy the story!
> 
> A shameless plug for my [Tumblr](https://mikauzoran.tumblr.com/). <3

“…Do you believe in soulmates?” Chat Noir asked tentatively as [the movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somewhere_in_Time_\(film\)) credits rolled, tipping his head to try to get a better look at her face but unwilling to break out of her embrace to sit up and see her expression clearly.

Marinette hummed thoughtfully, her eyes still sleepily fixed to the TV screen.

She adjusted her hold on him, subconsciously squeezing him a little tighter, and answered honestly, “I don’t really know. I _wanted_ to believe in soulmates when I was younger.”

“Oh?” he prompted, trying to appear casual but wanting her to continue.

“I was fourteen, and there was this guy I was crazy about,” she chuckled sheepishly, a fond smile spreading across her lips as she recalled that time half a decade before. “I wanted to think that he and I were meant for one another.”

“Oh,” Chat repeated, tone flat this time as his cat ears drooped and his tail flicked in annoyance at the perceived threat of a romantic rival.

The smile drained from Marinette’s face, slowly replaced by a more serious expression. “Only…then I started to think…”

She licked her lips reflexively in thought, her hand coming up to weave her fingers through his hair.

“…I didn’t want the universe to tell me who I had to end up with…. I wanted someone to pick me just because I was enough as I was and not because the universe was making them,” she explained as best as she could, hoping that he’d be able to understand.

Chat Noir’s eyes widened as he considered her perspective. “…Oh,” he breathed once more in comprehension.

“And then I started to fall for someone else,” Marinette continued, a bashful blush blooming on her cheeks like cherry blossoms as her lips stretched into an affectionate smile. “…and I wanted us to fall in love on our own terms, not because we were destined to and had no other choice.”

“I see,” he whispered in defeat, trying to hold in the frosty chill that had overtaken him so that she wouldn’t suspect how her words were like thorns in his heart. “I can understand that, wanting to be the one in control of your own fate.”

He could feel her body move as she nodded, and he was tempted to pull away and put some distance between them before she could hurt him further…but then her fingers started to massage his scalp, and he turned to putty in her arms, melting all over her and the Dupain-Cheng’s couch.

“He’s really precious to me,” she whispered conspiratorially, “and he deserves the best. I want him to have the freedom to choose whatever makes _him_ happy.”

“I have to admit that I’m jealous,” Chat mumbled. “He’s really lucky to have you.”

“I’m honored that you think so,” Marinette hummed, tucking his reply into a little pocket in the back of her mind for later. “…How about you, Chat Noir? Do _you_ believe in soulmates?”

He was silent for a moment as he pieced together his thoughts. “I used to…when I was younger and more naïve…before reality kicked me in the shins,” he snickered darkly. “Now…now, I just pray that soulmates are real and that the universe has some kind of plan because…”

He winced. “…I don’t… I’m not having any luck in the love department, so…I just hope there’s someone out there meant for me; otherwise…I don’t think I’ll ever find someone who loves me back.”

“Oh, Chat Noir,” Marinette cooed, pushing them both up to sitting so that she could face him and take his hands in hers. “Don’t give up.”

He forced a smile for her sake, but it came out looking empty and pained. “Sorry. I know I’m only nineteen, and it’s a little too soon to abandon all hope, but…I’m just really struggling to believe that someone could love me.”

Before she could second-guess herself, Marinette leaned in and brushed her lips against his gently.

She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes as she asserted, “ _I_ love you, Chat Noir.”

He stared at her dumbly—not able to believe that this was really happening—for a beat too long, and Marinette began to panic.

With a wide-eyed gasp, she put a little more distance between them as she hastened to apologize and explain, “I’m so sorry! I should have asked. Please know that you don’t have to say anything. If you just want to be friends, that’s more than fine, but we don’t even have to deal with this right now. I’m sorry to spring it on you like this, but, as someone who cares about you, I just needed you to know that you _are_ a loveable pers—”

Finally wrapping his head around her confession, he pulled her into a kiss, cutting off her anxious explanation.

“Sorry,” he whispered against her lips as they parted. “I was just so shocked that I needed a minute, but…I love you too, Marinette.”

“Oh,” she chuckled giddily, her fingers twining around strands of his hair. “Good. …Will you go out with me?”

“Yes!” he practically squealed in his enthusiasm, diving in for another kiss.

His joy dimmed slightly a few minutes later when they broke away and he thought to ask, “…Are you really okay dating a masked superhero?”

She shrugged, smiling contently as her fingers traced his cheekbone. “So long as that superhero is you.”

He swallowed hard, hesitating before asking, “…If I were Adrien Agreste and I asked you to go out with me…would you?”

Marinette went very still as she drew in a long inhale and studied his face intently, trying to mentally force two very different pictures together into one.

Suddenly, the images clicked into place, and she could see him. It left her laughing breathlessly.

“That depends,” she finally managed, tamping down the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him silly. “Is Adrien Agreste asking?”

A pale pink blush leaked out from beneath his mask as he shrugged sheepishly. “Yes. Yes, he is.”

“Then I would say yes…provided that he would agree to date Ladybug, if she asked him,” she countered with only the smallest hint of a nervous tremor in her voice.

Chat’s jaw dropped, and he stared at her in amazement for a moment too long, reawakening her anxiety.

“Is… _Is_ Ladybug asking?” he nearly choked, feeling dizzy at his good fortune.

Marinette nodded, smiling shyly. “Yes. She is.”

“My Lady,” he whispered, eyes filling with tears of joy as he leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. “Yes. Yes, I’ll go out with you, Princess.”

“Good,” she sighed happily, wrapping her arms around him once more and pulling him back in to resume their snuggling.

They stayed like that in blissful silence for several minutes before Chat spoke up once more.

“Do you think that _we’re_ soulmates?” he inquired hopefully, praying for some assurance that the universe would let him keep her and not take away his newfound happiness like fate had taken so much else from him.

Marinette bit her lip, considering carefully before giving her answer. “I don’t know. Maybe the universe did have something to do with bringing us together. I _did_ fall in love with you twice, after all.”

“You did?” he breathed in amazement.

She nodded with a secretive smile. “Mmhm. I was in love with Adrien before I slowly fell for Chat Noir.”

“I can’t believe it,” he snickered, his grin so wide that it was beginning to hurt his cheeks. “Just like how I fell for Ladybug and then Marinette.”

“Maybe the universe did give us a little helping nudge,” she hummed, begrudgingly acknowledging the serendipity of their situation. “but if there’s one thing that I know for sure, it’s that I chose to give into my feelings and let myself fall in love with Chat Noir.”

“Aww,” he cooed, giving her shoulder a nuzzle. “You say the sweetest things.”

She grinned wide, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. “We may not always have much say about the initial development of feelings, but we have more of a choice when it comes to staying in love,” she whispered into his hair, squeezing him tighter. “I chose to nurture my feelings for you…. Every day, I choose to be in love with you.”

“Thank you,” he struggled to get out as he nearly choked on the overwhelming emotions. “Thank you for choosing me.”

“Right back at you,” she insisted, settling in and starting up [another movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notebook) to play in the background as they cuddled and eventually fell asleep.

“…If you don’t mind,” he hesitantly spoke up again as the title sequence began to play, “I’m going to pretend that we’re soulmates.”

She held her tongue and let him have his romantic notion.

“I’d be okay with that,” she assured, “but only because it’s you.”

“Good,” he chuckled giddily, his eyes slipping closed as he relaxed fully in her embrace.

The

End

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone was curious and didn't check the links, the two movies that they were watching were Somewhere in Time and The Notebook. I've actually not seen either movie, but they seem to have the atmosphere I was going for. ^.^
> 
> So what did you think? I hope you enjoyed the story. Did you have a favourite line of dialogue or description? This is a really indulgent piece, and it was fun to write.
> 
> Leave me a comment and let me know what you thought because I'm dying to know. ^.^ Thank you for reading, everyone. Take care of yourselves!
> 
> Come follow me on [Tumblr](https://mikauzoran.tumblr.com/).
> 
> References:  
> Somewhere in Time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somewhere_in_Time_(film)  
> The Notebook: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notebook


End file.
